Tom Polapink uses his convertible to transport
his Fokker D.VII. Talk about an airplane—and a
person—arriving in style!

Below: What could Scott Annis possibly have in
his cartop carrier as he gets ready to set up at
an event?

Looks like Scott is on to something by using
a sturdy cartop carrier to keep his wings safe
during travel.

Let’s face it. Sometimes the urge to fly is so strong that all of the
assembling, packing, and
fiddling around at the
flightline can be frustrating.
When you want to fly, you
want to fly, right?

Ah, the joy of getting
to the field, taking a
fully assembled aircraft
out of your vehicle, and
getting your hands on the
transmitter instead of the
screwdriver! Flying without
fuss is easy and convenient,
and satisfies those must-fly-now heebie-jeebies.

Most of the time we’ll do
whatever it takes to make
sure our aircraft are ready to
go with ease, by transporting
everything in some unique ways.

Whether we’re taking our airplanes
hundreds of miles to an event or just
down to the local field, the methods of
transport know no boundaries. We’ll
find ways to get our airplanes and
helis—no matter how large they are—
to and from all kinds of locations.
Only RC pilots really know what
they are towing on the road or hiding
under some cartop carriers (who
says they’re holding camping gear or
transporting horses?).
Thank Goodness for Convertibles
Just ask Tom Polapink, owner of a
Fokker D.VII and, conveniently, a 1969
Chevelle convertible.
“The Sterling D.VII fits perfectly
in the back seat,” says Tom, editor of
Skyways The Journal of the Airplane
1920-1940 and a member of the Long
Island Skyhawks. He jokes that “… it
only works when it isn’t raining and on
side roads where you can stay under 30
mph or so.”
However, the ability for him to simply
put his airplane in his car with ease
and go brings a smile to his face. “Being
able to fit a fully assembled model in
your vehicle saves a lot of setup and
breakdown time at the field,” says Tom,
who is also a volunteer at the Old
Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Rhinebeck,
New York.

It’s not every day that a convertible
carrying an airplane is spotted, but we
RC people don’t even blink an eye!

What’s Really in the Cartop Carrier?
Who but RC pilots would ever guess